Administering the antibiotic co-trimoxazole can significantly reduce deaths among adults newly diagnosed as HIV positive, according to results from a study of over 3000 participants in Uganda and Zimbabwe. Mortality in newly diagnosed people was cut by around 50%.
The World Health Organization already recommends treatment with co-trimoxazole in its guidelines yet it is not routinely prescribed. This is in spite of its benefits in tackling opportunistic infections and the low cost associated with adding a course of treatment to the long-term care plan. Fears that patient side effects may increase if another drug was administered were seen to be unfounded.
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